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Trenimperiale
The Trenimperiale Group, abbrieviated TI, is the privately-owned group of public companies that operates the Roman Empire's national train network. It is derived from Ferrovia Imperiale, a government-owned organisation which operated the network from the advent of steam locomotives in the 1300s AD to 1863, when the company, under huge financial strained, collapsed. In 1863, through an Act of the Imperial Senate, FI was dissolved and its assets split into many privatised companies, forming the modern Trenimperiale Group. Members of the TI Group The Trenimperiale Group consists on seventeen operating companies and two others that do not provide rail service. The operating companies are organised into twelve passenger operators and five regional freight operators. Unlike some other groups of companies, the TI Group is made up of independent companies, and it does not have group headquarters or a holding company to set the overall business policy. The six passenger railways of the TI Group are separated by region or province. Nearly all their services are within the prescribed geographic area. However, some long-distance operations extend beyond the boundaries. The Jupiter HyperRail train service between Rome and Lutetia, for instance, uses TI Mediterraneo rolling stock but the segment of track between Massilia and Lutetia is owned by TI Europa, whose crew manage the train on that section. The Trenimperiale Freight Railway Companies operate all freight service on the network previously owned by FI. In addition, the group includes two non-operating companies. These are the Railway Technical Research Centre and Railway Information Systems Rpb. Lta. To cover various non-railway business areas, each regional operator in the TI Group has its own group of subsidiary companies with names like "TI Europa Group" and "TI Mediterraneo Group." HyperRail The Hyper-Rapid Transport System is a breakthrough in high-speed rail transport first realised in the 1500s AD, when a Rapid Transport System, known at the time as RapidRail, was constructed to connect the cities of Rome and Vienna. The first RapidRail, using diesel-powered rolling stock, completed the trip from Rome to Vienna in approximately 4 hours 30 minutes. Continuous improvements of the rolling stock used on the RapidRail cut the time down to 3 hours by the late 1800s, when the track was destroyed during the First Russo-Roman War. The line was never restored. A second RapidRail was built linking Lutetia and Massilia, the two capitals of the Gallia provinces, in the early 1600s following the success of the Rome-Viennese RapidRail. This used newer and faster stock than the first, and the trip was completed within three hours thirty minutes. Again, improvements, including the electrification of trains, cut the time down by one hour. The line in the 1700s was extended to Rome, creating what would become the Jupiter HyperRail. In the 1700s RapidRail was rebranded SuperRapid, after FI decided that the overall speeds of the systems had merited it such a name. New SuperRapid lines began to appear all over the Empire. In this century the time of the Jupiter line was cut down again to two hours fifty minutes through the continuous introduction of faster and faster models of trains. The invention of magnetic levitation in the 1800s began another revolution in the SuperRapid system, prompting the newly formed Trenimperiale Group to rebrand the system again, resulting in the birth of the Hyper-Rapid Transport System, or HyperRail. By this time, high-speed rail lines had been built in almost all of the Roman provinces. One by one, the SuperRapid tracks were replaced with new HyperRapid maglev lines. The process was completed by the 1920s, completing the most extensive maglev network in the world. List of rolling stock Until the end of the 18th century AD, there were almost always two series of RapidRail/SuperRapid trains in service at the same time. The trend was broken with the establishment of the HyperRail. Current *Presto-100 series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1980. New lightweight materials used on the body of the train to allow it to move faster. *Presto-200 series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1986. A smoother streamline allows for a faster maximum speed. *Presto-300 series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 2000. Integrates power-points for passenger convenience. *Presto-300A series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 2003 after several P-300s were outfitted with larger baggage racks and more powerful engines. *Presto-400 series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 2005. The P-400 is the first HyperRail train to utilise automatic navigation systems. Former *A-Series: Used on the RapidRail. Its front was shaped like that of an aeroplane, earning it the nickname "Plane-Train". All A-Series trains had been retired by 1612. *B-Series: Used on the RapidRail, introduced in 1572. It was more streamlined than its predecessor. Retired by 1634. *C-Series: Used on the RapidRail, introduced in 1585. Tilting capability increased maximum speed. The first RapidRail train to use Jakobs bogies. Retired by 1645. *C-Series-200: Used on the RapidRail and SuperRapid, introduced in 1587. While it used a similar aesthetic design as the C-Series, the C-Series-200 also utilised a completely different engine. The C-Series-200 was the first electrically-powered RapidRail train, and was also used after the SuperRapid reform. All C-Series-200's were retired by 1677. *D-Series: Used on the SuperRapid, introduced in 1643. The first double-decker SuperRapid train, it used a very long streamlined body, allowing it to travel just as quickly as its single-decker predecessors. Retired by 1693. *E-Series: Used on the SuperRapid, introduced in 1656. Increased tilting capability. Retired by 1723. *E-Series-200: Used on the SuperRapid, introduced in 1720. Slightly reduced tilting capability after a major accident involving an E-Series train caused by tilting. Retired by 1753. *F-Series: Used on the SuperRapid, introduced in 1734. Increased maximum speed through slight narrowing of body. Retired by 1790 after nearly forty years of uncontested service on SuperRapid lines. *G-Series: Used on the SuperRapid, introduced in 1790 directly after retirement of the F-Series. It saw service until the 1920s until it was retired with the complete replacement of SuperRapid rails with HyperRapid maglev tracks. *Nova-100-Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1802. It was the inaugural series on the HyperRail service from Rome to Lutetia. Retired by 1854. *Nova-200-Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1808. It reintroduced the double-decker feature. Retired by 1867. *Nova-300-Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1815. Reintroduced tilting capability and an increased streamline. Retired by 1875. *Nova-400-Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1834. Increased number of seats. Retired by 1884. *Nova-500-Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1854, at the same time the Nova-100 was retired. It saw 50 years of service. It was also the first HyperRail train to include catering facilities since the G-Series. Retired by 1901. *Nova-600-Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1872. More spacious seating installed. retired by 1920. *Nova-700 Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1875. No notable improvements. Retired by 1930. *Nova-800 Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1880. Designed for 100 years of operational life. Saw uncontested service from 1930 till the introduction of the Nova-900 series in 1975. Retired by 1984. *Presto-0 Series: Used on the HyperRail, introduced in 1975. The first new series of HyperRail train introduced in almost a century due to the long life of the Nova-800. Retired by 2006.